The United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) has received a $4.2 million contributions from the Canadian government for the provision of sexual and reproductive health interventions in South Sudan.
This is an additional fund by Canada to enable UNFPA to execute its mandates including training and deployment of midwives, support response to rampant gender-based violence, and ensure sustainable services delivery to sexual and gender-based survivors amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Announcing the receipt last week, Mary Otieno, UNFPA Country Representative said in a press release that the fund will ensure a sustainable response to sexual and reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Women’s sexual and reproductive health is at greater risk now due to COVID-19. We need to ensure that they have uninterrupted access to health care – as well as services for the management of sexual and gender-based violence, which is exacerbated by the current restrictions and stay-at-home orders imposed by COVID-19,” Otieno said.
Cases of rape and sexual gender-based violence have been on the rise in South Sudan since the outbreak of coronavirus cases early April this year which the fund could help mitigate the impact of the virus.
UNFPA has been one of the frontline organizations responding to sexual and reproductive health care, helping thousands of disadvantaged women through the Ministry of Health with funds from the Canadian government.
The organization, over the past years, has trained and deployed hundreds of midwives across the country in a bid to reduce cases of maternal mortality and infant mortality cases, providing access to health and psychosocial support to sexual and rape survivors.
UNFPA is already supporting the Ministry of Health and the South Sudan Nurses and Midwives Association in the training of health workers, including midwives on COVID-19 prevention measures to prevent the spreading of the virus.
The donation is a part of the 2016-2020 $50 million Canada contribution to UNFPA to implement its mandate in South Sudan.